Mail-marking machine.



No. 694,007. Patented Feb. 25, I902.

J. GEARY.

MAIL MARKING MACHINE.

(Application filed Nov. 24, 1900.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheats-$heet l.

mil I Witnesses No. 694,007. Patented Feb. 25, I902.

J. GEARY.

MAIL MARKING MACHINE. (Application filed MW. 24, 1900.

(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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; I I l \0 Q luveu ioz M' Qtkouwq No. 694.007. Patented Feb. 25, 1902,

V .J. GEARY.

'MAIL MARKING MACHINE.

' Application filed Nov. 24, IQOOJ (In Model.) v 4 Sheets-Shut 3.

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No. 694,007. Patented Feb. 25,1902."

. J. GEARY.

.IIIAIL MARKING MACHINE.

(App 1ication al a Nov. 24, 1900.

(No Model.) v I sw n-sham4.'

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

JAMES GEARY, OF BRADFORD, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-MARKING 'MACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION arming part of Letters Patent No. 694,007, dated February 25, 1902. Application filed November 24, 1900. Serial No. 37,605- No model-l To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES GEARY, a resident of Bradford, in the county of MeKe'an and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Marking Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to so-called mail marking and canceling machines, and has among its objects to improve their efliciency and simplify their construction, and particularly to improve the mail-feeding devices and the impression-roll and their adjuncts.

The invention consists in the construction herein described and pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a partial perspective of the bed-plate of a m achine supporting the improved devices,'ineluding an air-pump. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of an impression roll without its GOVGI..

Fig. 3 is a similar view, the cover being in place. Fig. 4 is a central section of the impression-roll covered. Fig. 5 is a partial elevation showing impression and type rolls in coiiperative situation. Fig. 6 is a plan of the machine, a pum p-piston cylinder being shown in section. Fig. 7 is a partial elevation, the piston, cylinder, and cylinder-support being shown in section. Fig. 8 is a partial plan of another form of air-pump conduit and impression-roll, the novel part of the latter bein g shown in section and the mail-feedin g rolls omitted and the tube supporting a suctioncup situated midway the ends of its path. Fig. 9 is a similar View taken at right angles to that of Fig. 8, the movable parts being shown in their initial'situation. Fig. 10 is a plan showing a modification of the air-pumpsupporting devices. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 12 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing other air-pump-supporting devices; and Fig. 13 is a plan of the same.

Numerall denotes the bed-plate of a machine of well-known type and customarily supplied with mail feeding, printing, and stacking devices.

2 denotes a plate or partition against which tion device.

abunch of mail abuts end wise theletters, and I 3 is aplate or partition along which each piece of mail ismoved pastthe plate 2, having a corrugated extension, and through an opening or passage t'between' the said extension and the plate 3 and between feed-rolls 4 to a printing position between an impression-roll 5 and a type-roll 6.

An inking-roll, stacker, and other customary adjuncts being well known and easily applicable by those skilled in the art need no detailed description herein.

Mail may be moved toward plate 3 by any convenient mechanism or by hand. Each piece as it arrives immediately adjacent or contiguous said plate is drawn against the 0 en mouth of acu -sha ed carrier 7 b 1 a P p 3 partial vacuum suitably produced therein by the medium of a rod 25, having a tubular part 8, (see Figs. 7 and 9 and broken lines in other figures,) communicating with a suction-pump or other separating devices may be combined with the plate 2, having a suitable opening 'for the play of cup 7, if desired. As represented in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, the cup 7 is carried by a rod 25, having'a tubular part 8, through which it communicates with a suc- Said rod is reciprocated by an eccentric connection at 33 with the impression-roll, the latter being driven in any usual or approved way. The tubular part of the before-named rod 25 has a branch 10, carrying the cup 7. Beyond its junction with said branch the rod has a pivotal connectionat 11 with an arm 12, rocking on ast-ud 13, fixed to the bed-plate 1. As indicated in said Figs. 8 and 9, the cup 7 and the tubular part 8 of the rod 25 may communicate with a pump 8 for producing a partial vacuum therein by means of a conduit 14 in the eccentric-pin 9 communicating with conduit 14 in the body of the impression-roll and conduit 14 in the hollow stud 15 of the impression-roll.

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16 is a hose by which conduit 14 communicates with a pump, and 17 is a port in the side of theimpression-roll stud, which port is alternately opened and closed by the part 19 of the impression-roll sleeve 20 to provide an intermittent action of the air-exhausting devices which tend to produce a partial vacuu m s 'or suction in the tubular part 8 of the rod notessential. Neitheris theinventionlimited to the use of one or of' any particular number of cups or like means of causing letters and cards to adhere by air-pressure resulting from a partial vacuum in the cup.

As represented in Fig. 1, a cylinder 21, having a stud 21 supported to turn in a hearing 22, is combined with a piston-head 23, having a lengthwise port 24, communicating with the atmosphere by means of the cup 7. The piston-head is on the end of a rod 25, eecentrically pivoted to an impression-roll by means of a pin 33, the construction being such that the rotation of the impression-roll alternately draws air into and expels it from the cylinder 21 through the cup. The drawingin action causes a letter or the like to adhere to the cup while it is moving forward, thereby moving the letter within the grasp of the feed-rolls P or of the printing and impression rolls in case feed-rolls are dispensed with.

To provide for marking mail-matterof various thicknesses by the same rolls, the impression-roll has a periphery consisting of a mutilated spring-ring 26, secured to a central body 27. Securing-studs fixed to the spring are denoted by 28, and 28 denotes flanges or projections engaging an inwardly-projecting flange or rim 29 of the interior body 27. A circumferentially disposed series of studs fixed to the spring and engaged by a detachable cover 31 are denoted by 30. The cover is held in place by fastenings, such as screws 32, and it holds the flanged studs 28 engaged with the rim 29. A pin for the attachment of an eccentric-rod is denoted by 33. 9* denotes a centrally-situated boss on the cover. The spring 26 has the form of an open or broken ring and is so supported on the inner ring or body that it may be compressed thereon and diminished in diameter by external pressure, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6. Such compression maybe caused by mailmatter passing between it and the printingroll, especially in the case of thick pieces. Normally the adjacent surfaces of the printing and impression rolls will be very close, and to provide that this may be without danger of transferring ink to the impression-roll in case the machine is run when no mail is passing between the rolls the surface of the spring-ring 26 is made with indentations or depressions 34:, of size and situation corresponding to the type or other printing-surfaces 35 of the type or printing roll, so that said type will mesh with the depressions, yet without contact with the impression-roll, and therefore without inking it when no mailmatter is interposed. When a letter or card is passed between the rolls, it bridges over the depressions in the impression-roll and receives the impress of the type, being held in operative contact therewith by the interimdentation parts 36 of the spring-ring of the impression-roll. In the case of very thick letters not only will the impression-roll spring 26 yield, but the material of the letter itself may yield and be bent to a limited extent into the depressions to permit its passage between the rolls while being printed. The construction therefore provides for great variations in the thickness of mail-matter and obviates inking the impression-roll and subsequently smearing the backs of letters when postmarked.

It is important'to use a yielding platen, such as afforded by the im pression-roll spring 26, in connection with the use of impressionroll depressions situated oppositely'to the type faces to avoid cutting, shearing, or breaking envelops, the platen being adapted to yield before the type forces the mail-piece into the depressions to an injurious extent. I am aware that yielding platens are not new and that circumferential ribs and grooves have been provided in rolls for ruling paper, and such matters are not claimed herein. Mail-matter varies greatly in thickness and in the thickness and quality of envelops, and

a yielding platen is regarded as an essential element of my new combination.

The above-described improvement in letter feeders or carriers and impression-roll would not be departed from by the use of a reticulated cover for the cup, cups, or like suckers nor by the use of any ring, provided it is open or split substantially as herein described and provided that it comprises an elastic part whereby one end of the said ring is movable in a radial direction when pressed by the type of the type roll, and an impression-roll such as heretofore made having a rubber body and an entire inclosing ring can be used with the impression-roll in dentations and combined with printing-surfaces entering said indentations and secure some of the advantages of my improvement These and like mechanical in such rolls. changes and modifications may be made pro- Vided the material principles of construction and operation are preserved.

In the illustration herewith the impression and type rolls and the feed-rolls are indicated as not supported upon differential levers; but the present improvement is not limited to any particular construction or arrangement in this respect, and said rolls may (any or all of them) be mounted either directly or mediately in the frame in any usual or suit: able manner.

One of thepreferred forms of mail-feeding devices is illustrated in Figs. and 11, in which asuction-pump cylinder 21 is supported between the limbs or yokes 37, pivotally connected thereto at 38 and swinging about pivots 39, fixed to the frame at any convenient point and by preference as re-- mote from the cylinder as convenient or practicable to carry the cylinder in a path of small curvature. 40 denotes an arm pivoted to a sleeve 41, sliding on the piston-rod 25,

and pivoted also to the frame at 42. This arm and the yokes or arms 37 move in equal and similar paths, their lengths being equal and their longitudinal planes parallel. Regulable stops at the ends of the cylinders path are denoted by 43 and 43 and 44 denotes cylinder-lugs coacting with the stops, 45 is a crank-arm on the impression-roll or other shaft 46. 47 is a rod loosely connected to said arm and to the piston-rod. The suctioncup carrier 7 communicates with the cylinder behind its piston, and it is moved in an elliptical path through an opening in the partition 3 and operates substantially as de* scribed in connection with other figures. Referring to Fig. 10, the shaft 46 rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow, starting from the position shown in said figure, the piston-rod, piston, and cylinder will be correspondingly moved until the cylinder is stopped by the screw 43, which occurs at about the instant the cup 7 is-brought immediately adjacent or contiguous a piece of mail-matter held against or near the partition 3. The

movement of the cylinder being arrested, the friction of the piston therein will be overcome and movement of said piston continued, with the effect to produce a partial vacuum in the cylinder and permit atmospheric pressure to hold the adjacent letter or the like against the suction-cup carrier, whereby the mail-piece is moved past the separating device and between feeding-rolls, if used, or immediately between impression and printing rolls if no intermediate feeding devices are employed. The continued rotation of the crank returns all the parts totheir initial situation, the

friction of the piston being sufficient to return the cylinder and its supporting-yokes. To provide for the timely release of the mailpiece from the suction-carrier, an air-admission hole or holes 48 can be provided in the cylinder-wall and so situated therein with respect to the path of the piston within the cylinder as to admit air behind the piston at the instant the mail-piece, has been delivered to the action of other mechanism.

Instead of guiding the cylinder 21 by supporting yokes or arms 37, as described in connection with Figs. 10 and 11, its movement may be determined by guides 21 and 41 base 53 and in the base 54 of a sliding post I 41 carrying a piston-rod guide or sleeve-41. (See Figs. 12 and 13.) The cylinder when moved back and forth by the piston under theinfluence of theimpression-cylinder eccentric or other driving device is guided in the direction of the slots, which may be of any desired longitudinal and transverse form'. In

practice the piston in any of the several ar rangements may be packed with the ordinary cork packing, (denoted by 55,) which has been found very suitable.

49 denotes one or more spring-coils having a finger or fingers 50 to retard contiguous mail-matter, and thereby separate it from the particular pieces being carried forward by the suction-cup 7.

I am aware that impression-rolls havebeen provided with segmental portions supported by springs and others provided with sliding spring-held platens normally out of operative situation and that such platens and also entire rolls have been faced with elastic matetrial, and I am also aware that impressioncylinders having elastic beds or sections and also mutilated rings having impression-sections each supported by a radially-disposed spring and impression beds or sections supported by spring-connected leversor bars have been heretofore proposed, and such constructions are not of .my invention, .Which is characterized bya split or open ring having its two ends adjacent each other and free, the ring being supported in such manner that it or a portion of it may yield in a radial direction, notwithstanding it is made of rigid material, the spring-ring being elastic and adapted to act as a platen.

- I am aware that a suction-pump has been provided with a flexible tube communicating with the end of its cylinder and provided with a lever for moving said tube, all combined to lift and transport sheets of paper, and such construction is not herein claimed.

IIO

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, i's- 1. In a mail-marking machine,an impresssion-roll having a central body and a compressible periphery consistingof asplit spring= ring surrounding the entire body approximately, the ring and body having. loose con- I nections holding them in definite relation to each other while permittingexpansion and contraction of the ring.

4. In a mail-marking machine, an impression-roll having a central body and a compressible periphery consisting of a split ring,

I I 5 sion-roll having for its periphery a spring of the ring and body having loose connections holding them in definite relation to each other while permitting expansion and contraction of the ring, said connections comprisinglngs on one part to engage corresponding parts on the other. I

5. In a mail-marking machine, an impression-roll having a central body and a compressible periphery composed of a split springring, and a detachable cover adapted to hold the ring movably on the body. Y

6. In a mail-marking machine, an impres-- sion-roll having a central body and a'compressible peripheral ring and a detachable cover, said cover holding the ring and body together, and an eccentric-pin connecting the cover to the body.

7. In a mail-marking machine, a pumpsupported letter carrier, a movable pump adapted to draw air into the carrier and comprising a cylinder, and stops to limit the movement of the pump-cylinder.

8. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a pump comprising a cylinder, a piston movable lengthwise the cylinder, and a hollow carrier fixed to the piston-rod and communicating with the cylinder on the side of the piston opposite said carrier.

9. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a pump comprising a cylinder, a piston movable lengthwise the cylinder, and a hollow carrier fixed to the piston-rod and communicating with the cylinder on the side of the piston opposite said carrier, said cylinder and piston being simultaneously movable transversely of the lengthwise movement of the piston.

10. In a mail-marking machine, a hollow letter-carrier,a rod supporting said carrier and having a hollow part communicating therewith, means for producing a partial vacuum in the hollow of the rod, and mechanism for moving the rod lengthwise, and devices for guiding it transversely to move the letter-carrier to and from apiece of mail-matterat the time of feeding said piece forward.

11. In a mail-marking machine, a pump comprising a cylinder, a piston movable and connection positively reciprocating the piston.

13. In a mail-marking machine, a rotating shaft, a suction-pump, a hollow piston-rod, a hollow letter-carrier situated at the side of and communicating with the said rod, and a pump-operating connection situated between the shaft and the rod and pivoted to the rod, said shaft and connection positively reciprocating the piston.

14. In a mail-marking machine, a suction pump having a piston and a hollow pistonrod, means for reciprocating the rod and piston, a hollow letter-carrier communicating with the rod, and means for holding letters parallel to a plane passinglengthwise through the rod.

15. In a mail-marking machine, a mail-separator comprising a spring-wire coil having its ends extended into the path of ingoing mail and inclined thereto.

16. The combination of aprinting-roll and an impression roll comprising a yielding platen, said latter roll having indentations corresponding to the printing-faces'of the former, whereby the rolls may rotate in close proximity without inking the impression-roll when nothing is passing between the rolls.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES GEARY. lVitnesscs:

GEO. A. BERRY, GUY T. BERRY. 

